< Daniel 3 >

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
UNebhukadinezari inkosi wenza isithombe segolide; ubude baso babuzingalo ezingamatshumi ayisithupha, ububanzi baso buzingalo eziyisithupha; yasimisa egcekeni leDura, esabelweni seBhabhiloni.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
UNebhukadinezari inkosi wasethumela ukubuthela ndawonye iziphathamandla, ababusi, lezinduna, abeluleki, abaphathizikhwama, abehluleli, abathonisisi, labo bonke ababusi bezabelo, ukuze beze ekwehlukanisweni kwesithombe uNebhukadinezari inkosi ayesimisile.
3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Lapho iziphathamandla, ababusi, lezinduna, abeluleki, abaphathizikhwama, abehluleli, abathonisisi, labo bonke ababusi bezabelo babuthana ndawonye ekwehlukanisweni kwesithombe uNebhukadinezari inkosi ayesimisile; basebesima phambi kwesithombe uNebhukadinezari ayesimisile.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Ummemezeli wasememeza ngamandla wathi: Liyalaywa, lina bantu, zizwe, lezindimi, ukuthi:
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
Ngesikhathi elizwa ngaso ukukhala kophondo, umhlanga, ichacho, ichachwana, ugubhu lwezintambo, umfece, layo yonke imihlobo yokukhaliswayo, liwele phansi, likhonze isithombe segolide uNebhukadinezari inkosi asimisileyo.
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Njalo loba ngubani ongawi phansi, akhonze, ngalesosikhathi uzaphoselwa phakathi kwesithando somlilo esivuthayo.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Ngakho ngalesosikhathi, lapho abantu bonke besizwa ukukhala kophondo, umhlanga, ichacho, ichachwana, ugubhu lwezintambo, layo yonke imihlobo yokukhaliswayo, bonke abantu, izizwe, lezindimi, bawela phansi, bakhonza isithombe segolide uNebhukadinezari inkosi ayesimisile.
8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
Ngakho ngalesosikhathi amaKhaladiya athile asondela, ahleba amaJuda.
9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
Aphendula athi kuNebhukadinezari inkosi: Nkosi, phila kuze kube nininini!
10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Wena nkosi, wenzile umlayo, ukuthi wonke umuntu ozakuzwa ukukhala kophondo, umhlanga, ichacho, ichachwana, ugubhu lwezintambo, lomfece, layo yonke imihlobo yokukhaliswayo, uzawela phansi akhonze isithombe segolide;
11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
njalo loba ngubani ongawi phansi, akhonze, uzaphoselwa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.
12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy elohim, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Kukhona amaJuda athile owamise phezu komsebenzi wesabelo seBhabhiloni, oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego; la amadoda, nkosi, kawakunakanga; kawakhonzi onkulunkulu bakho, kawakhothameli isithombe segolide osimisileyo.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Lapho uNebhukadinezari ekuthukutheleni lekuvutheni kolaka walaya ukuletha oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego. Khonokho lawomadoda alethwa phambi kwenkosi.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my elohim, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
UNebhukadinezari waphendula wathi kubo: Kungamabomu yini, Shadraki, Meshaki, loAbedinego, lingakhonzi onkulunkulu bami, lingakhothameli isithombe segolide engisimisileyo?
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that Elohim that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Khathesi, uba selilungile ukuthi ngesikhathi lisizwa ukukhala kophondo, umhlanga, ichacho, ichachwana, ugubhu lwezintambo, lomfece, layo yonke imihlobo yokukhaliswayo, liwele phansi, likhonze isithombe engisenzileyo, kuhle; kodwa uba lingakhonzi, ngalesosikhathi lizaphoselwa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Ngubani-ke lowoNkulunkulu ozalikhulula ezandleni zami?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
OShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego baphendula bathi enkosini: Nebhukadinezari, kasidingi ukukuphendula kuloludaba.
17 If it be so, our Elohim whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Uba kungenzeka, uNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo ulakho ukusikhulula esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo; njalo uzasikhulula esandleni sakho, nkosi.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy elohim, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Kodwa uba kungenjalo, kakwaziwe kuwe, nkosi, ukuthi kasiyikubakhonza onkulunkulu bakho, lokuthi kasiyikukhothamela isithombe segolide osimisileyo.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Lapho uNebhukadinezari wagcwala ulaka, lesimo sobuso bakhe sabaguqukela oShadraki, uMeshaki loAbedinego; waphendula, walaya ukuthi batshise isithando kasikhombisa ngaphezu kwalokho okwejwayeleke ukutshiswa ngakho.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Waselaya amadoda alamandla ayesebuthweni lakhe ukuthi abophe oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego, ukuthi babaphosele esithandweni somlilo ovuthayo.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Lawomadoda asebotshwa embethe izembatho zawo, amabhulugwe awo, lezingowane zawo, lezinye izigqoko zawo, aphoselwa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.
22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
Ngakho ngenxa yokuthi ilizwi lenkosi belibukhali, lesithando sitshisa kakhulu, ilangabi lomlilo labulala lawomadoda ayethwele oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Lala amadoda amathathu, oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego, awela phansi ebotshiwe phakathi kwesithando somlilo esivuthayo.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Lapho uNebhukadinezari inkosi wethuka, wasukuma ngokuphangisa, waphendula wathi kubeluleki bakhe: Kasiphoselanga amadoda amathathu ebotshiwe phakathi komlilo yini? Baphendula bathi enkosini: Liqiniso, nkosi.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of Elohim.
Yaphendula yathi: Khangelani, ngibona amadoda amane ekhululekile ehamba phakathi komlilo, njalo kakukho ukonakala kuwo; njalo isimo seyesine sifanana lendodana yabonkulunkulu.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high Elohim, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
Lapho uNebhukadinezari wasondela emnyango wesithando somlilo esivuthayo, waphendula, wathi: Shadraki, Meshaki, loAbedinego, lina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, phumani, lize. Lapho oShadraki, Meshaki, loAbedinego baphuma phakathi komlilo.
27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Iziphathamandla, ababusi, lezinduna, labeluleki benkosi, sebebuthene, babona la amadoda, umlilo owawungazanga ube lamandla phezu kwemizimba yawo, okwakungahangulwanga lonwele lwekhanda lawo, lezambatho zawo ezazingaguqukanga, lokunuka komlilo okwakungedlulanga kiwo.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the Elohim of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any elohim, except their own Elohim.
UNebhukadinezari waphendula, wathi: Kadunyiswe uNkulunkulu kaShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego, othume ingilosi yakhe, wakhulula izinceku zakhe ezimthembileyo, zaze zaguqula ilizwi lenkosi, zanikela imizimba yazo, ukuze zingakhonzi zingakhuleki lakuwuphi unkulunkulu ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu wazo.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the Elohim of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other Elohim that can deliver after this sort.
Ngakho umlayo wenziwa yimi, ukuthi bonke abantu, isizwe, lolimi, olukhuluma okungafanelanga okumelene loNkulunkulu kaShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego, uzaqunywa iziqa, lendlu yakhe yenziwe inqumbi yomquba; ngoba engekho omunye unkulunkulu olakho ukophula njengalokhu.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
Lapho inkosi yabaphumelelisa oShadraki, uMeshaki, loAbedinego, esabelweni seBhabhiloni.

< Daniel 3 >